As you'll notice, I've changed the look of my blog because I love BLACK!  Once I saw a template with black, I said "That's me!"  Ok, on to more interesting subjects.  I've seen some wonderful films on DVD lately, but at the theatre it's been a different story.  Actually, I shouldn't generalize, as I've only seen "King Arthur" since the "Spiderman" incident.  The film was OK.  After reading a few versions of the legend and viewing several adaptations, there was some frustration involving the new version.  Most of this stems from the fact that Jerry Bruckheimer produced the film.  I try to avoid his productions, but as this film starred the lovely Keira Knightley, I could not resist.  Yes.  I admit.  There are just some women for whom I question my heterosexuality and she is one.  So, it didn't bother me that Guinevere is portrayed as a warrior traipsing around in a Xena inspired leather outfit with an abundance of exposed skin covered with Braveheart inspired woad paint.  No, that part was just fine, as were the battle scenes.  In fact, the cinematography was quite impressive.  What bothered me most was the trite dialogue to be expected from the narrowminded, unimaginative writers of Bruck's films.  What a joke!  In fact, this film tried so hard to be "Braveheart" that I had to laugh in parts.  There is hardly any character development, nuance among relationships, or coherent storylines.  The battle scenes would have been much more impressive if they were more violent and graphic like "Braveheart," but instead everything is only indicated.  Anyway, finished with the ranting and raving about the mindless aspects of Hollywood "entertainment," I will shift my attention to more worthy films I have encountered.  "The House of Sand and Fog"-- what a film.  I know that it is based on a book (which I haven't read) but I have to believe this film does the story justice (as did "The Hours" to Michael Cunningham's novel).  This film moved me to tears without such an expectation.  It's not one of those sappy chick flicks that says, "Oh, here's where everyone's going to cry" and they cater to that notion.  This is just pure human emotion being played out on film in a way that ceases hold of the audience and says, "You can't ignore this."  Wonderful performances all around and especially by my new favorite actress Shoreh Aghdashloo who joins my other favorite, French veteran Fanny Ardant.  Next is "In America."  It's fun, moving, bittersweet, honest... The little girls in it blow me away.  They are not your typical child actors who are cute and precocious.  They are acting machines and know how to capture an audience.  Again, I wept, but in a truly joyous moment of the film.  I was just so overcome with emotion.  Now, know this:  I am not someone who cries at any film.  I actually cannot remember the last film for which I shed tears.  Perhaps "Life is Beautiful" from 1997! As for my reading, I have not been able to keep up as I am completely consumed by my accelerated French class.  I have decided to set aside the Dumas book as it became much to painful to spend my summer trying to overlook its misgivings.  I have taken up a new book (new to me) called Surprised By Joy by C.S. Lewis.  My dad loaned it to me last fall when I began to speak of my religious struggle.  I'm hoping this will serve as a support and guide for my personal story.  I still pray to God about it (as my faith in Him has not wavered).  Maybe reading books like I, Lucifer, Angels and Demons, and The Da Vinci Code wasn't such a good idea for a confused, tormented, and fallen away young individual like myself. 

Well, I've been very lackadaisical about posting my penny adventures as well as my reading endeavors. I've been trying to catch up on my DVD rentals and Law and Order:SVU re-runs (I'm totally addicted!) So, I'll post on the movies I've seen recently. I saw Cold Mountain, Along Came Polly, The Butterfly Effect, and finally (!) Bend it Like Beckam, which is my favorite of them all. Growing up as a soccer player, I truly appreciated this film and it made me want to get back out there and kick the ball around. Also, I loved the Indian background, due to my quick study of India last summer. I have a lot of respect and admiration for their culture. The music was great, the costumes were beautiful and it was both funny and moving. Cold Mountain was good, a little slow in parts but definitely worth a watch for the sake of Renee Zellweger's (sp?) performance. She has come quite a long way from Empire Records and even Jerry Maguire. I didn't like Along Came Polly. I just thought a couple of parts were cute, but I tend not to like Ben Stiller movies because he's either acting like a total moron or he's a victime in situations that I don't find humorous (Meet the Parents, Something About Mary). However, the last two films both feature Philip Seymour Hoffman and I think he is a phenomenal actor. Butterfly Effect was surprisingly good. I don't really appreciate Ashton Kutcher's "humor" but the script was intense, smart and the acting was pretty good. One movie I want to recommend to all, which I saw when it was FINALLY released on DVD, is Don't Tempt Me (AKA Sin Noticias de Dios, Sans Nouvelles de Dieu). The movie stars Penelope Cruz in the best performance she's ever given as an angel from Hell, sent to Earth to vie for the life of a boxer with an angel from Heaven. Hell takes place in a dark, dingy, sweaty train station and cafeteria with horrible fluorescent lighting and everyone speaks English. On Earth, everyone speaks Spanish and Heaven is in black and white, 1930's/40's Paris where everyone speaks French. My favorite actress, French veteran Fanny Ardant plays a manager in Heaven who sends the angel because Heaven is struggling for more souls. There is also a whole thing in there about J.D. Salinger and the best part of the film is how these actors are able to speak multiple languages. Simply amazing. The script is so clever and funny and almost like a good Tarantino film (none of this Kill Bill stuff--sorry to those who like it). Think more like Pulp Fiction. Not to be missed is Cruz's dance to "Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting."

I finished The Da Vinci Code last night. It was a great book. All my positive comments of Angels and Demons carry through to this novel. I think A & D is a better book for one reason: Da Vinci seemed somewhat anticlimactic to me. I don't want to give anything away to anyone who hasn't read it so I'll stop there. Still, there are so many great ideas and issues addressed in Da Vinci that it should not be missed. I'm going to try finishing the Dumas novel as well as The Celestine Prophecy which I started last summer, but had to set aside for a while in order to keep up with reading for school. I sold some books yesterday at Bookman's and bought a biography of Sarah Bernhardt. I haven't decided yet if I believe in reincarnation, but if I do, I think I'm her. When I was as young as two years old, my parents used to call me by her name because I was incredibly dramatic about things. That love for drama followed me through elementary school, jr. high, high school, college, and even now. I started acting in school plays in 1st grade and began my first time at college as a theatre major. I soon moved on to art when things didn't work out, but have participated in community theatre to quell my desires for the stage. While pursuing my degree in art, I discovered an artist named Alphonse Mucha, who introduced the style of Art Nouveau to the world. He instantly became my favorite and I have displayed his work in my house. I also have a limited edition lithograph, signed and numbered by Mucha's grandson from the Mucha foundation. I soon discovered that Mucha was Bernhardt's favorite artist and that she commissioned him to design all her theatre posters. He went on to design all her jewelry as well. And the icing on the cake is that she and I have the same birthdate. I can't wait to read more about her to learn what other similarities we have!